Topic Environmental
Rural Nova Scotians want power grid designed for a changing climate
February 17, 2023 by Michael Tutton - THE CANADIAN PRESSHALIFAX – Residents of a rural Cape Breton community that has lost power during cold and windy weather are looking for compensation from the utility – and a grid designed for the changing climate. Parker Donham, a resident of Boularderie…
Is Canada seeing more tornadoes every year?
February 14, 2023 by Jason ContantCanada saw 117 recorded tornadoes across the country during the 2022 season, tying 2021 for the highest-ever single season on record, according to the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP). As with 2021, 29 of the tornadoes reached up to EF2 on…
Is there a better coverage solution for flood plain residents?
February 14, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoWhen insurers recommend consumers pack up and move from their flood-prone homes, it’s easier said than done. That’s why the industry needs to come up with better resilience solutions and more efficient claims response to protect the customers most impacted…
Has Russia-Ukraine hindered insurers’ ESG plans?
February 13, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoInsurers with ESG plans are still sticking to their guns to stop backing fossil fuels and thermal coal, even as geopolitical events like Russia’s Ukraine invasion put strain on the international energy sector, an industry expert told delegates at CatIQ…
Recent extreme cold snap causes ‘devastating’ damage to Nova Scotia vineyards
February 10, 2023 by The Canadian PressThe president of the Grape Growers Association of Nova Scotia says it will take years for vineyards to recover from the recent extreme cold snap. Steve Ells says between 95 and 100 per cent of Nova Scotia-grown vinifera variety grapes…
Why atmospheric rivers, derechos and bomb cyclones are on insurers’ radar
February 9, 2023 by Jason ContantWild and wacky weather events like atmospheric rivers, derechos and bomb cyclones may seem new because of recent media coverage, but they’ve been known and named phenomena for quite some time in the history of meteorology and atmospheric science, speakers…
Alberta’s energy regulator orders company to fix months-old oilsands seepage
February 8, 2023 by The Canadian PressAlberta’s energy regulator has given Imperial Oil until the end of the month to figure out a way to fix ongoing seepage at a tailings pond at its Kearl oilsands mine. The Alberta Energy Regulator says a pond on the…
Ontario’s new approach to emergency response
February 7, 2023 by Jason ContantOntario’s government will launch a ‘provincial exercise program’ to create, review and update new provincial emergency response plans and test whole-of-government emergency response, the province announced Friday. The provincial exercise program is part of Ontario’s first-ever Provincial Emergency Management Strategy…
Aviva Canada CEO on brokers’ role in climate change mitigation
February 6, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoBrokers and insurers both said natcats and climate change will be the second biggest issue heading into 2023, according to a Canadian Underwriter survey last month. But one group is more vocal about climate change than the other, one CEO…
Review of oilsands cleanup funding program needs public input, says Alberta NDP
January 30, 2023 by Bob Weber - THE CANADIAN PRESSEDMONTON – Alberta’s New Democrat Opposition says a government review of the program that’s supposed to ensure oilsands companies can clean up their mines was conducted too privately and should have been done in public. Environment critic Marlin Schmidt…
Meteorologist explains why future NatCat claims won’t get any better
January 27, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoAs the climate warms, even predictable weather patterns — like El Niño and La Niña, which are affected by rising sea temperatures — are changing alongside the climate, a weather expert warns. And that could mean more frequent and severe…
Why P&C industry profitability is trending toward positive
January 23, 2023 by Jason ContantCanada’s property and casualty insurers should see increased overall profitability and premium rate increases as the industry’s 2023 outlook trends to positive, ratings firm DBRS Morningstar said in a new report. “The credit rating trend for the majority of DBRS…